Apple Watch Ultra saves Mumbai man from fatal lung rupture during scuba diving

Apple introduced the first generation Watch series a decade ago in 2015, and since there is no looking back, as it has become the most popular worldwide, on par with the iPhone. Thanks to advanced health and fitness tracking sensors, Apple Watches overtook Swiss brands in a few years to become the number one watch brand globally.

Beyond offering fitness metrics and statistics, Apple Watches have saved thousands of people worldwide with timely heart health notifications to get medical aid quickly. And, also with the SOS feature, they can directly alert the emergency responders to reach the unconscious victims as soon as possible.

In a recent instance, Kshitij Zodape, a Mumbai-based software executive at a prominent e-commerce company, was saved by his Apple Watch Ultra.

Over the last five years, Zodape has travelled worldwide for scuba diving excursions in Thailand, Maldives, Bali and other regions.

Scuba diving is a very exhilarating experience, as it offers a surreal feeling of exploring the lively marine life on the seabed. But, if not careful enough, one faces the risk of decompression sickness, strong undercurrent, nitrogen narcosis, and equipment malfunction, leading to death in rare cases.

Apple Watch Ultra showcased at Apple BKC Store in Mumbai.

Last month, Zodape was in Puducherry for scuba diving in the Bay of Bengal. He had put on all proper gears and the oxygen mask was functioning properly, and dived into to Bay of Bengal. As he was exploring the seabed with his instructor, his weight belt suddenly detached, and this triggered a dangerous and uncontrollable rapid ascent.

Zodape was shocked that he was moving up at such speed. Before he could figure out what had just happened, the super-sensitive Apple Watch Ultra noticed the rapid ascent and triggered a loud alarm, and this caught the attention of the instructor, who immediately held on to Zodape swiftly to slow down the ascent.

If it wasn't for the Apple Watch Ultra warning, Zodape would have suffered a fatal Decompression Sickness (DCS) injury. During rapid ascent from the seabed to the surface, there will be a rapid decrease in ambient pressure, and this causes inert gases such as nitrogen to form bubbles in the body's blood and tissues.

This catastrophic incident could have caused his lungs to expand like a balloon and explode internally.

ECG app on Apple Watch.

"There is no way to communicate underwater except for sign language, and to call for attention, your only way is to make some sound. Sound travels faster underwater. When I started shooting up, I was still figuring out why this was happening, but by that time the alarm (from Apple Watch Ultra) had already went off, which is a very distinct sound. My dive buddy noticed it quickly, swam towards me and caught me. Then, upon looking, we realised my weight belt was missing. Had the alarm not triggered, I would have kept looking for why I was going up," said Kshitij Zodape to Deccan Herald.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 displayed at Apple Hebbal Store.

For the uninitiated, the built-in emergency siren of the Apple Watch Ultra can emit an 86-decibel sound, designed to be heard up to 180 metres (around 590 feet) away. In water, it travels faster and can be heard louder than on the surface level.

Besides lung rupture, he could have suffered a physical collision in heavy fishing boat traffic in Puducherry.

Zodape, like most fans, wrote a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and how the Watch Ultra saved his life.

I'm so glad your instructor heard the alarm and quickly assisted you. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. Be well.

Apple CEO Tim Cook replied to Kshitij Zodape

Enthused by Apple Watch Ultra's life-saving feature, Zodape has upgraded to the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

In a related development, Apple Watch saved a young pregnant woman and her child in the US.

Rachel Manalo was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia. It is a potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorder. It causes the lower chambers of the heart to beat too fast, and this causes the heart to pump twice the amount of blood volume required for her and the baby. And, the oxygen wasn't getting to the blood.

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